Need some advice please

[PMG]

I don't normally work in Illustrator....have a customer that sent me a Ai. file and i need to place a cut line around it...the file is full of masks...when i copy the image and then i go to pathfinder and expand or add to shape it will merge all the elements into one the problem is its doing all the masks as well..not sure how to go about this any help will be cool......i got the file to work in Flexi by rasterizing it and putting a cut line.but i want to work more in Illy.

 

[Fred Weiss]

When I get masked files I enlarge the entire file to the production size and then rasterize it in Photoshop to save my sanity.

 

[Vinylman]

Not sure how this would work for you but see if this makes sense?
make a copy of the entire file. Command/"A". Then Command/ "C". Then Command/"V".

Go to the PATHFINDER menu, and with ALL the copied componants selected do the "ADD TO" command { upper line, top left}.

Then fill with {any color}, Go to the "Object" drop down menu,/ PATH/ outline, select the distance you want the outline path to be away from the artwork, and press RETURN.
You should then have the outline you need for the cut path.
Delete the colored artwork leaving the cut path.

 

[petepaz]

can't you just copy the file and just delete everythiing but the mask that makes the shape and use that for the cut line
(i think you may have to go to object menu,down to clipping mask then relase)

 

[PMG]

Thanks for the reply ,,ill try them all thanks.

 

[beermonster]

you could rasterize straight out of illy.....if thats the way ya wanna go, and add the cutter